I recently received an '89 Ibanez 'Artstar' AR 200BK as part of a trade deal with another member here at TGP. I'll admit, I really didn't know what I was getting myself into with this guitar. However, I decided to "chance it" because I have always been more than happy with every Ibanez I have owned. Well, here we go again!!!! This guitar is awesome. It is so solidly built and plays and sounds so incredibly nice. As I mentioned every Ibanez I have had in the past has been great but this thing is unbelievable. It's quality easily exceeds the 400 dollar trade value. The humbuckers are clear, crisp, and round both clean and with gain. The remarkable thing about it is how it has stood the test of time. You would never know it was 19+ years old. It is black with beautiful MOP or Abalone square fret markers. It has really cool tuning pegs. I'm not sure what you would call them but they look fantastic on the thin, sleek headstock. The headstock, neck, and body are all bound in white and the headstock is adorned with a beautiful MOP or Abalone design. Everything about this guitar screams quality and taste!!! Here are some pictures of her. Anyone else have experience with these Artist Series Ibanez'? Oh yeah my other new buddy b
Those are on my must try, one of these days, list. I had a neckthru Musician that was impeccably built and a great design but plagued with dead spots and a metallicy (-icky?) tone, also a bit of a scrawny neck. How's yours?
The neck is smaller than I'm use to but I dig it and will definitely be won over by it in time. I would have to say that the build quality is it's best feature. I have noticed that the pups require me to ease off the gain on my Ethos and the Shiva. They seem very hot which is funny because the description I was given was that the pickups were on the lower output side. I think just the opposite. There is very little that I would actually change with regard to the design of this guitar. I could tell the moment I held it for the first time that it was built impeccably. The combination of the Ibanez, Ethos, and Bogner is Heaven and I am completely blown away by my tone from them. I traded my 335 for the Bogner. Though I miss her terribly and will replace her, I am not in as much of a hurry as I was prior to getting the Ibanez. I mean it, this guitar is way underrated and it's a shame. However, most Ibanez products are. That's fine with me, it'll keep the price of these wonderful instruments down at reasonable levels. I may start looking for another Artist, it's that good!!! You will be doing yourself a huge disservice if you don't at least take one out for a test drive. Good luck and let me know what happens
The old Artist and Performer series (LP lawsuit models) from the 70s are fantastic guitars. The newer Artists are still as good, especially the MIJs. I have a '78 PF-200 (Les Paul copy) and it's a fantastic guitar with quality components and great sounding pickups.
Congrats on your new guitar! The guitarist in my first band had one and I loved it. Fast playing guitar, and very good sounding. They're really undervalued and great values today if you can find a nice one. The sunburst models are super cool.
i scored this AS-50 from 1981 recently and chose it above a an Orville by Gibson ES-335 clone simply because it is the better (for me, at the moment) guitar AND about 50% less $$ !!!! tone to the bone, a great neck, sturdy and with a set of WCR Darkbursts it rocks ! highly recommended for someone seeking a quality semihollowbody on a budget. [/IMG]
Hi bilbal! That is a very nice speciman of that guitar. They (Artist series)were some of the best quality guitars in the world at the time they were produced, and copmpare favorably to anything produced even today. Here is a pic of one I had and regret selling, a fantastic guitar, but I got it cheap and sold it at way above market, to an Ibanez collector that just had to have it. One of the best playing and sounding guitars I have ever had, for certain!
I had one of those- it was amazing. Just like the black one at the top of the thread. Mine was hollow w/ f hole. Sounded fantastic. The only thing that really blew about it was the Floyd Rose style trem on it. I really wish i would have kept it and just blocked the trem.
Skavis: That one is hot!!! I hope you enjoy it as much as I am mine. As previously said, these things are way under-rated and deserve at least a test drive. Once you play one, you can be the judge. I highly doubt anyone would dislike the guitar especially at the prices you see then being sold for. JackButler: Scott you hooked me up brother. I am head over heals for this thing. I cannot wait to get up daily to plug my Ibanez into the Bogner - TONAL BLISS!!! Any luck unloading the Fuchs yet? It'll go. It's just a matter of time. Hell if it's around much longer you may be selling it back to me. I have my eye on another Artist actually. So far I'm winning the auction. My luck dictates that I will not win but I'll definitely find another!!! b BTW - Rastus, what are the mini-toggles for?
